&&time is running short

[aPPY]

[bg=#070d13][atrb=border,0,false][atrb=cellpadding,0,false][atrb=cellspacing,0,false][atrb=width,450,true][th] text "speech" thoughts "other characters' speech" The air was chilly, frost on the ground from the cold night before and as he breathed, the air was visible in front of him. The painted stag continued to trot forward, hoping that he would run into the golden mare that ruled the territory -- or at least still had the last time he was here. The thought that maybe he was too late weigh him down. And what if he was? What was he going to do if he came this way only to find that Ramaskith had already taken over, had already pillaged through and killed everything that lived. What was he supposed to do then? He truly hoped that had not happened, and that he somehow still had a chance to make some difference on the outcome of the events that were sure to happen soon if they hadn't already. Seraph was quiet now, they both were; focused on finding Rasta and discovering where things stood at this moment. Everything was quiet around him and it made his nerves skyrocket. Why was it so quiet? Was everyone hiding away? Were they all dead? These questions ran through his mind, and in a way they were comforting. At least he wasn't plagued with questions of Shika and her whereabouts. Thoughts of the death that might have taken place, the battles, the blood, were more comforting then thinking about a lost love? Was he going insane? Probably. He sighed and picked up his pace, wishing that somehow his mind would just shut off and quit thinking. Why couldn't it? He knew he wasn't the only one though. Surely there were thousands before him that wished their minds would quit working and thinking about things better left alone. But there was nothing he could do but let it run rampant. If he tried to think about other things, his mind usually turned to think about the exact things he didn't want to think about. It never failed. He slowed as the sound of water reached his ears, and soon a large river appeared in front of them. He stopped, turning to look back in the direction they had come from. Across the river was what used to be the West. He sighed again, moving to trot along the river and hoping that perhaps Rasta would just appear instead of him running around looking for her. It would surely make things much easier. Kilton glided down, skimming the surface of the slowly moving river and soaring over into the trees of the West. "I guess we'll try the other direction." He said, shaking his head and moving into a canter towards the East. He couldn't help feeling as if his efforts were useless. ==Author's Comments . Word Count 459 . Notes - lalala. karukk . Muse - surprisingly okay . Tags - rasta and seraph. :B

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Header by Appy - Coding by Abba

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[twi]

The second that Seraph had stepped into the North Lands, she had felt that something was amiss. The familiar soil beneath her hooves was familiar no longer. It had taken on a strange, almost polluted quality. Something was wrong. She had not sojourned in the North for quite some time, having spent her time in the Neutral lands and the South, but she doubted the change she felt was due to her long absence, for there was something in the air that she did not like. Same as in the East Lands. Ah, the East. That was where she had met Tou, in Nebulosus Agro. Just thinking of the mist filled forests, the dark shafts of sunlight wafting through the foliage made her think of him. An intense longing filled her throat, and she had to stifle a little sob as the image of her and Tou, side by side, walking through one of the many wooded paths, appeared in her mind. She wondered if it was even possible to miss him more than she did.
She looked dully up at Karuk. Other direction? It seemed like they had just begun. Ah, but she had been lost in thought, immersed in the depths of her mind as she was so apt to do lately.
“I don’t have a head for directions,” she said ruefully, “I’ll let you lead the way.”

[Abba]

it only burns when i breathe
yea, you saw the way that i fall
but i'm better off by myself, that's the tale i like to tell, yea

Rasta pulled back farther through the trees, away from the oncoming scenes of death. She didn't want to see it - she didn't want to be near it. Blood slowly began to cover her pelt as she pulled through the thorny brushes of the trees and towards the water - the freezing cold water. Her red-tailed hawk was now flying above her sending out a call of warning that other equines were here. As wide eyed as a blind horse could be she slammed on the breaks looking around like a trapped animal. Her audits flicked around and then she heard the voice of a mare and the scent of a hawk and stag filled her nostrils. Karuk. Let it be Karuk and not another one of Rama's warriors. Standing up a little taller she pushed through the brush the cuts and blood ragged against her slightly bulging stomach. She wasn't badly injured just scratched up. Upon closer inspection she immediately recognized him as Karuk. "Karuk! You are here!" she said, the fear obviously evident in her voice. She didn't know how her side was boding in this war. Heck, she didn't even know who was fighting. She just wanted everything back to normal - to peace. She wanted Taj by her side. And she wanted to know that everyone would be safe...

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==into the mind
.223 words
.Rasta is going insane Dx[/size]

[aPPY]

[bg=#070d13][atrb=border,0,false][atrb=cellpadding,0,false][atrb=cellspacing,0,false][atrb=width,450,true][th] text "speech" thoughts "other characters' speech" Seraph agreed and he moved towards the East. Hopefully they would be able to do something before Ramaskith took over. Help somehow, make a difference. He didn't know what he would do if he arrived and there was nothing but destruction. Just like before. Sometimes there were fleeting moments when he wondered if he would die in this war, if he fought. Sometimes he thought maybe it would be best to be rid of this agony, this hurt, this.. nothingness that followed him around for as long as he could remember. Before Shika he had been a walking corpse, a zombie, emotionless; and now he had pushed everything away and returned to it. What good was it to feel when everyone around you took advantage of it and made you hurt? Made you suffer because you cared? Life was cruel, to everyone, but it seemed to single him out and he could never make up for what ever he had done to anger it. He would spend forever trapped in an endless circle of pain and he didn't want to! So why should he stick around for it all? Why couldn't he do one last good thing, help the world from falling under a false leader and trapping themselves, and free himself? Sometimes he wondered. The sound of footsteps made him slow, tearing him from his somber thoughts. His breathing sounded loud in his ears as he wondered who could possibly be walking through these trees. All thoughts of the good guys, the ones defending left him and he settled on the idea that Ramaskith's warriors had, indeed, invaded, and they were here. Though, a golden figure emerged, and a familiar voice to match it. He visibly relaxed, though the tone in her voice made him fear the worst. "Rasta, what has happened?" He asked, getting straight to the point. The fear that dripped from her words made him believe that Ramaskith had invaded, though just not in this area. It was far too quiet in these lands. "Is he here?" He asked, suddenly eager to fight, to let out some anger that was beginning to surface at the injustice that was his life. It seemed his mind wouldn't let him be completely emotionless this time around. At least it wasn't sadness; anything was better than sorrow and pain. Though, he was in pain, so much pain, but the anger hid it well. The anger was so much easier to feel, a much better emotion. He would make the enemy feel his pain. ==Author's Comments . Word Count 429 . Notes - Rasta may be going insane...but so is Karuk. /: . Muse - goodgood. . Tags - seraph and rasta

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[Abba]

There's a vulture on my shoulder
and he's telling me to give in
always hissing right in my ear like it's coming from my own head
it's got me mixed up, trying not to give up. Tell me there's a way to get out of here

Rasta shuffled her feet, looking between Karuk and this other mare anxiously. Her mind swirling around not being able to grasp any of the concepts. "Taj. I can't find Taj." she whimpered shaking her head and then attempting to pull herself back together. Her ears pinned as she attempted to push some of the thoughts out of her head. And then a shrill cry of a hawk sounded in her ears. Slowly it forced her back to her old mold - though still quite a bit shaken. It obviously showed in her voice as the next words flooded from her mouth, "Rama... he's invaded... from the plains. God. People are dying - I can almost promise that. No one else was there. I was alone. I came back to find reinforcements. But. Karuk-" she broke and the hawk swooped in between the two of them landing on the ground. "I don't want people to die..." she whispered her whole body trembling. "I didn't want it to have to come to this... I didn't want bloodshed..." she said shaking her head and pulling back - not allowing the tears to fall down from her face. She couldn't even process everything that was going on. She just knew she needed to find Taj. That was the only true thing that was able to flow through her mind and stick around. "I need Taj," she whispered backing up - preparing to push farther into her lands until she could find him. She needed him. She needed to know he was safe. She needed to know she would still have a family after this...

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==into the mind
.276 words
.Rasta wants Taj.... that's all XD[/size]

[aPPY]

[bg=#070d13][atrb=border,0,false][atrb=cellpadding,0,false][atrb=cellspacing,0,false][atrb=width,450,true][th] text "speech" thoughts "other characters' speech" Taj? Who was Taj? Rasta must have finally found someone, it seemed. After loosing Panic. His expression hardened, though what she explained next gave him something else to think about. Other than loves, particularly others and the lack of one for himself. Rama had invaded, and people were dying. It almost passed over him in a blur as if he didn't care. But he did, and he forced himself to remember that it mattered if others died. And it mattered if he could help them and he didn't. It's the only reason he was still alive. He was supposed to help others, he needed to. He didn't want people to die either, he never had. That's the reason he accepted the gift of healing in the first place! He shook his head, "Ramaskith will stop at nothing to gain control, we already knew this." He sighed. Seeing Rasta so lost frightened him. Though a pain stung deep inside of him. Shouldn't he be that way? Shouldn't he have been, all this time? Perhaps he was so pessimistic that he just accepted his fate, whatever it may be, and forgot about those that left him; at least as best he could. Why couldn't he be optimistic like Seraph seemed to be? Still holding onto hope that perhaps things weren't as they seemed, that maybe, just maybe, they were looking for you too. Why couldn't he? Why didn't he want to believe that? Shouldn't everyone want to believe the best out of the ones you loved? Shouldn't you be able to trust that they would never leave you, because they couldn't bear it just as you can't, as you stand there, realizing that they have done just that? "I need Taj," she said. She needed him. He didn't know what he needed any more. It took a moment for him to collect his thoughts, they had rained down on him like balls of hail, hitting him hard. He closed his eyes for a moment, sighing, before turning and looking in the direction of the East; where he had been headed just moments before. At this moment, everything looks so peaceful, despite everything that must be happening. There was a faint tint in the air, a feeling that something was off, but that was all. Nothing that lead to the fact that others were loosing their lives just a short distance away and you couldn't even hear them as they died. It was so quiet. As if everyone was already gone, and their fight was so insignificant that it made no impact on the area surrounding it. Where was everyone? Hadn't Oser gained at least some followers over the years? More in the past few months? Someone to fight back? He knew that he couldn't do it alone. Ramaskith was walking into an unprotected fortune, open for the taking, and they would just stand here and watch him. He couldn't let that happen. He huffed. "Has everyone disappeared?" He asked, turning back to Rasta. "Where is Oser?" His mind switched into a survival mode that he hadn't accessed since the last war. There had to be someone wandering around who would fight against Ramaskith. Why else would they come up here? To stand around and watch everyone else fight for them? Or had everyone fallen to Ramaskith already? "Isn't there anyone who chose to fight against Ramaskith?" Maybe he was wrong. Maybe Ramaskith had gotten to everyone first. Maybe Ramaskith had made sure that nothing would stand in his way. Maybe they were too late before anything had begun. ==Author's Comments . Word Count 618 . Notes - karuk is getting worried . Muse -good . Tags - seraph/rasta

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[twi]

Seraph strained for her first glimpse of the legendary Alpha of the North. Of course she knew that Rasta was a mare, but seeing her was still something of a shock. She was so small, so dainty and fragile, much like Seraph herself. Was this truly the one that so many hopes rested upon, the one who’s territory Oser had fled to? Ruefully, Seraph supposed that the North really was the only place left to hide. Unfortunately, it was also the only place of value left, and surely Rama would want it under his rule. Maybe even now, he was beginning his conquest. The evident worry in Karuk’s voice only confirmed her fears that perhaps it really was too late. Maybe it had been a hopeless cause to begin with. But no, she should not be thinking like that. It was only because so much of her life had hit a dead-end that she expected everything else to as well. Looking from one tortured being to another, Seraph felt her heart sinking. The mare, this Rasta, was covered in blood, though her wounds did not look inflicted by another equine. Her sightless eyes roved wildly about, as though seeking refuge from not only the monsters outside but the monsters within as well. Karuk, though finally shedding his perpetually dejected stance for one of anticipation, reeked of hopelessness, even as she herself did. They were a sorry trio, none of them very stable, at least mentally.
Seraph stared down at the ground, trying to get a grip on reality. She did not want to sink back into oblivion, though its depths of nothingness called to her invitingly. Maybe she was not needed at all, maybe there would be no one left to heal. Maybe no one wanted her, no one needed her. She just wanted to lie down and sleep, deadened to the world for at least a few hours.

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[Abba]

Cold as ice
and more bitter than a december winter night
that's how I treated you and I know that I - I sometimes tend to lose my temper

Rasta shuffled her feet side to side and continued to shift her weight around. It was horrible. She didn't know what was going on. He was asking her about Oser - about his army. If anyone had dared to fight against Rama. She didn't know. She hadn't been told anything. "A- I - I don't know. Some people chose to stand up against Rama. But honestly, I've not once seen Oser's army. And I haven't seen Oser since Rama began to invade. It's not safe! And everyone is gone" she said. Her hawk flying above her obviously disdained with the fact that he couldn't rest upon her back as this mare continued to shift around. "I'm fighting, though. I'm not going to let those who wanted to fight - fight alone. I don't care. But I'm not letting that happen." she whispered insanely uncertain about the whole entire situation. Was she really alone? She hadn't seen anyone until now...

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==into the mind
.160 words
.Rasta is freaking out - I'm too off to post much longer[/size]

[aPPY]

[bg=#070d13][atrb=border,0,false][atrb=cellpadding,0,false][atrb=cellspacing,0,false][atrb=width,450,true][th] text "speech" thoughts "other characters' speech" Rasta's panicked tone slid him into a different mindset. One from a long time ago. One of war. She seemed to afraid of the uncertain future that rested above all of us, but unlike everyone else, she was afraid for each equine that had come to her, other than just herself. Though, her previous words led him to believe that she wasn't sure anyone was even holding onto hope anymore; not like they were. He sighed softly, shifting his weight and standing taller. The hopelessness that was settled upon his shoulders fell off, replaced by a different kind. One he could work with. Something he could effect, and would do his best to change. The other one, love and rejection, leaving and staying, he couldn't do anything about that. But war? War he knew. War he had experienced before, war was easy. He could do war. He stepped forward, hoping that somehow Rasta would regain her wits. She was so terribly frightened, and he knew she could refocus if she just calmed down a bit. Everything would be fine. They could do this, even if it was only a few of them. Things would get better. War was easy, right? "Breathe, Rasta, breathe," he said slowly. "Everything is going to be okay. You still have us." He smiled softly, knowing that she couldn't see it though. "We're here, and we will try our best to stop him. This is our home too." He took a deep breath, just as he had been telling Rasta to do. Things would be okay. "Seraph and I will continue to the West, since we're already here. We'll come around from behind and work our way through." He glanced over at the painted mare briefly before turning back to Rasta. "Don't give up hope yet. There's still a chance." ==Author's Comments . Word Count 313 . Notes - ahhh. not so sadface karuk. *nod* . Muse - decent . Tags - rasta/seraph

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Header by Appy - Coding by Abba

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[twi]

Seraph couldn’t help but wonder how the sightless mare planned on fighting. She tried not to imagine her golden form being trampled under powerful hooves, helpless and alone. She shook her head, trying to clear images of the war from her mind. So much bloodshed, all needlessly. There was more than enough land to go around on the island Forma Silvestris, so why did so many feel like they had to kill to get more? But it wasn’t her job to speculate on the causes of the war, only to heal its casualties. And of those, she knew there would be many. Too many. The sooner they started actively searching for the wounded, the better she would feel.
She wondered who this Taj was that they were discussing, but dismissed it from her mind as Karuk said, "Seraph and I will continue to the West, since we're already here. We'll come around from behind and work our way through."She wondered why they were leaving the area of conflict so soon, for there were sure to be many more wounded on the frontlines. Coming in from behind was a sure way to incriminate one’s self, appearing suspicious enough that they could be slain without a second thought, though they were simply Healers. Still, Rama was sure to leave the wounded behind, not caring enough to rescue his own injured troops. Who knew? Perhaps by offering aid to an enemy warrior they could find themselves with a new recruit.